ASUS Eee Pad Transformer hits US on April 26th for $399

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

We recently deemed the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer the “best Honeycomb tablet yet.” Admittedly that was before we got our hands on the T-Mobile G-Slate, but it’s still an awfully nice hunk of glass, and now we know just how much you’re going to have to pay to get one — and exactly when you can plunk down that credit card. The 10.1-inch Transformer with its 1280 x 800 IPS panel and 16GB of storage will cost you $399, while the 32GB version will set you back $499. That docking station, which kinda sorta turns it into a laptop? That costs $150. Units are expected to hit retail on Tuesday, April 26th, meaning you have just five days to scrounge together four or five Benjamins — plus tax, of course.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer hits US on April 26th for $399 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS’ bamboo-plated U43SD laptop graduates to Sandy Bridge, so does plain-jane U41SV

When we reviewed ASUS’ first bamboo laptop, we raved about more than just its unconventional looks — we were also impressed with its solid performance. So we’re pleased, although not at all surprised, that ASUS is refreshing the line with Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge processors. The U43SD doesn’t appear to stray from its predecessor’s industrial design (save for its bigger 14-inch screen), but it steps up to the latest Core i3 and Core i5 processors, along with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics with 1GB of video memory. You can also choose from 5,400RPM and 7,200RPM hard drive options and either a six- or eight-cell battery. While the company was at it, it also quietly unveiled another Sandy Bridge laptop, the U41SV, which offers the same configuration options as the U43SD — and a plainer design. No word on pricing, and a cursory search turned up no availability. For now, though, you can have a gander at some official photos lifted from ASUS’ own product pages.

Gallery: ASUS U43SD

Gallery: ASUS U41SV

[Thanks, Jon and Danijel]

ASUS’ bamboo-plated U43SD laptop graduates to Sandy Bridge, so does plain-jane U41SV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS works Sandy Bridge magic on thin-and-light U31E, U31SD, and U36SD

ASUS U31SD

It appears that ASUS is finally ready to show its line of thin-and-light machines some Sandy Bridge love. Swedish site Technytt claims to have the exclusive scoop on a trio of laptops — the U31SD, U31E, and U36SD — that will find their way to retail channels in late May. The U31SD is already showing up on the ASUS site, with the option of either a Core i5 2410M or Core i3 2310M , and a choice of Intel integrated graphics or a 1GB GeForce GT 520M card. All three 13.3-inch machines will reportedly have similar specs, though the U31E will supposedly lack a discrete graphics option. The U31SD tips the scales at a perfectly portable 3.9 pounds and it’s safe to assume the U36SD will match up size-wise with the svelte U36JG, which is just 0.75-inches thick and weighs 3.5 pounds. There’s no official word from ASUS regarding price or availability but, while you wait to get your paws on one, feast your eyes on the U31SD in the gallery below.

Gallery: ASUS U31SD

ASUS works Sandy Bridge magic on thin-and-light U31E, U31SD, and U36SD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (UK edition) review

The world’s love affair with tablets may have been bubbling along under the surface for a while, but it really got started in earnest during CES 2010. Back in those wild days, you could see 15-inch jumbo screens, TV tuners, and even hybrid pseudo-laptops stalking the tablet area of your favorite trade show. ASUS was there too, of course, though it still believed in the upstart smartbook category — a modernized take on the netbook that relied on an ARM CPU and a mobile OS to extract more battery life out of a lighter, thinner device — and was busy showing off a seductively slim prototype of just such a machine. Alas, nothing came of that Neo concept, most likely because it was relying on Android 1.6 and a Tegra 2 system-on-chip that was then still months away from hitting the market.

Today, however, is a different day. The 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 is finally being produced in volume, Google has evolved Android to version 3.0, specifically targeting higher-resolution displays, and ASUS has abandoned the idea that a keyboard is crucial to mobile computing. No, wait, that last bit’s still there. The Eee Pad Transformer is a 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet very much in keeping with the current trend, but it also has an optional keyboard dock that turns it into a, you guessed it, instant smartbook. So, does that mean you’ll get two devices in one or has ASUS been overly ambitious and compromised too much? We got to grips with the £380 16GB WiFi-only model and its keyboard buddy (£430 when bought as a pair) in an effort to find out. Answers await just past the break.

Continue reading ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (UK edition) review

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (UK edition) review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee Pad Slider making the jump from Tegra 2 to Atom Z670?

Last we heard, ASUS’ Eee Pad Slider would pack a Tegra 2 processor just like its counterpart, the Eee Pad Transformer. There’s now some pretty strong evidence suggesting that might not be the case, however, with none other than Intel letting slip that the Slider would actually pack its brand new Atom Z670 processor instead of NVIDIA’s silicon. That evidence you see above cropped up on Intel’s press page following its announcement for the new Atom processor, although it’s since been removed — suggesting that it was either a colossal mistake or, more likely, a reveal that was a bit too premature for ASUS’ liking.

Update:
We’ve yet to receive any confirmation ourselves, but Tweakers.net says it has confirmed that ASUS will indeed be producing an Eee Pad Slider that has an Atom Z670 processor and runs Windows 7 — apparently in addition to the Android-based Tegra 2 model.

ASUS Eee Pad Slider making the jump from Tegra 2 to Atom Z670? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unity Corporation releases Xtion Pro PC motion sensor in Japan

We’re still waiting for some specific US launch details for the Xtion Pro and Wavi Xtion motion sensors that ASUS showed off at CES earlier this year, but it looks like folks in Japan can now already get their hands on half of that duo. Unity Corportation has just announced that it’s releasing the Xtion Promotion sensor (complete with an SDK) in the country for ¥19,980, or roughly $240. That should work similarly to a Kinect considering that PrimeSense is responsible for much of the technology behind it, although you should be aware that this one is aimed squarely at developers looking to create their own games and applications for it. You’ll have to wait for the more consumer-friendly Wavi Xtion for something that you can simply plop down in your living room.

Unity Corporation releases Xtion Pro PC motion sensor in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neonode’s zForce optical touchscreens hitting ASUS tablets later this year

It’s been over a year since Neonode coyly said some nameless “Asian companies” would use its multitouch zForce displays in future products. Now one of them, at least, is coming out of the woodwork — ASUS said it plans to ship a “series of products” with these optical touchscreens later this year. What does this mean for consumers? Neonode’s screens don’t tack any additional layers on top of the touchscreen, making this line of 5 to 13-inch displays different from more common capacitive and resistive ones. The result, Neonode says, is thinner and — one would hope — more responsive screens. No word on when these products will hit (nor how creative ASUS will get with its designs), but feel to dig for details in the terse press release.

Continue reading Neonode’s zForce optical touchscreens hitting ASUS tablets later this year

Neonode’s zForce optical touchscreens hitting ASUS tablets later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 03:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS debuts, showcases new 3D and IPS-based Designo displays

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; ASUS has taken this old adage to heart, offering up some moderate, but worthwhile changes to its latest consumer and 3D monitor lines. Retaining the award-winning style of its Designo series, the outfit is launching a trio of new 22-, 23-, and 24-inch IPS and VA panel displays — each vaunting a 178-degree viewing angle, 1920 x 1080 resolution as well as more accurate color reproduction and a higher contrast ratio than previous models. Too bad this change didn’t carry over to ASUS’ 3D line — despite adding an integrated IR transmitter for NVIDIA 3D Vision, the 1080p 27-inch LED VG278H sports a backlit TN panel (boo), same as its predecessor. But hey, at least the integrated transmitter ought to free up some desk space… right? No official price on these just yet, but check out the more coverage link below for a spate of eyes-on impressions.

[Thanks, TheLostSwede]

ASUS debuts, showcases new 3D and IPS-based Designo displays originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS apologizes for Eee Pad Transformer delay it won’t detail, US launch pegged for end of April

Well, as far as delays go, this is looking like one that ASUS is willing to accept. As the company explains on its Facebook page, demand for the Eee Pad Transformer has apparently been so high that the first few batches have sold out “much quicker’ than it had planned. That’s left the global launch for the Honeycomb tablet a bit up in the air, with the company only directing folks to its Facebook pages for individual countries for more information, although they unfortunately aren’t providing much in the way of details at the moment.

That delay apparently won’t affect the US launch, though — at least not to any significant degree. According to the upstart website JoannaStern.com, the Transformer will be hitting the US by the end of this month with a price tag of $399, while the keyboard dock will run you $149. Could we possibly be seeing the beginnings of a tablet price war? Here’s hoping.

[Thanks, James A]

ASUS apologizes for Eee Pad Transformer delay it won’t detail, US launch pegged for end of April originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS’ 12x BW-12D1S-U external Blu-ray writer: world’s fastest, until the next one

Fed up with the simply unacceptable performance of your external Blu-ray writer? Of course you are. ASUS feels your pain, and it’s looking to ease it with the soothing balm of the BW-12D1S-U, a new 12X, USB 3.0 burner. The highly capable (and highly complex, we’re surmising) BW-12D1S-U offers realtime 2D to 3D conversion, 1080p video output and support for the usual complement of HD audio formats. But does it have a jewel-like, almost ominous translucent blue power button, you ask? Indeed it does, not to mention a sleek black finish and the ability to operate horizontally or vertically. The outfit has yet to put a price on having the fastest writer on the block, but don’t even pretend that you wouldn’t pay it. Whatever “it” ends up being.

ASUS’ 12x BW-12D1S-U external Blu-ray writer: world’s fastest, until the next one originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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